The FYS Library Session

An Introduction to Information Literacy

The First Year Seminar experience provides students with the “intellectual transition” to Hope College” and “college-level learning in the liberal arts.” Within this framework, the library session is designed to give students early exposure to academic research and the unique educational role of the library/librarians. During the session, students will be actively introduced to fundamental concepts of information literacy, concepts that will get them started on the right track as they begin their own college-level research. As librarians, we hope to leave the students with a positive awareness of the library as well as piqued curiosity about their own existing information-seeking habits.

It is our goal that students emerge from the session with:

a simple knowledge of the physical library building and the various services available within

a better understanding of how/where the library and its resources fit into the broader universe of information

a sense of what it is the library and librarians have to do with their college education

a feeling that they are welcome at the library and that librarians are approachable, relatable, and in possession of certain abilities that will be useful them

a basic familiarity with the library’s “1Search”

a growing recognition of how “research” is already a big part of their lives, and that they are capable of adding a more robust academic dimension to skills they already possess

Although the standard FYS library session is very much a general introduction, we encourage you to collaborate with your FYS librarian in the development of course-integrated library/information literacy goals and objectives for your students. We would be happy to discuss options for “FYS-appropriate” assignments or activities related to your overall course theme or topic. If you already have something in mind, we would encourage you to share it with us in advance so we can better prepare for students as they come looking for help. In addition, we welcome the opportunity to work with your students in a follow-up “library lab,” oreven meet with them in small groups outside of class time.

Scheduling Your Library Session

After you have contacted Patti, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from one of the Research and Instruction Librarians which will include the day/time and place of your library session.
Most sessions are done in either the Library Teaching Lab or the Granberg Room (both are located on the second floor of the library). However, in order to accommodate all sessions, some may be conducted in another lab on campus if there are overlapping date requests.

IMPORTANT:

Plan to schedule the session during one of your regular class periods (note: it will take the full 50 minutes)

It should be held early in the semester. Due to the introductory nature of the library session, having it right away in September is ideal.

Reserve your session by the end of July to ensure it gets booked on the day you want